This invention relates generally to the field of telephony, and more particularly to an improved plug and socket construction suitable for interconnecting interalia protector modules of one make with a connector or protector block of another make by means of an adaptor, although the construction has many other applications in the art.
Typically, the configuration for such adaptation is that of a known Western Electric socket in a protector block or the like having the usual tip and ring connections with a centrally disposed ground pin for each subscriber pair. The module to be adapted has substantially the same connections arranged in different spatial relation. An adaptor to be positioned therebetween includes a main body element having interconnecting bridging pins which have offset portions to compensate for the different spatial relation.
The known Western Electric type sockets are disposed within a synthetic resinous housing in such manner as to be capable of a limited degree of lateral adjustment upon engaging corresponding pins in the adaptor to accommodate normal commercial tolerances. Unfortunately, the lateral movement takes place about an axis disposed inwardly of the point of contact on each socket, so that the adjustment is somewhat pivotal in nature, and tends to move the axis of the socket in non-coaxial relation relative to the engaging pin. This will usually result, when the pin is of circular cross section, in a short line contact of arcuate configuration, one that is prone to corrosion with time because there is not sufficient metal flow between the contact areas to make a vapor tight joint of a type in which the contact area is sufficiently deformed to form an interface which will be impervious to corrosion. With the passage of time, such interconnections become a source of noise on the telephone line, often of sufficient volume to require replacement of the interconnecting parts. Since the socket is normally part of an installed connector block, the correction of this problem must be made in the pins forming part of the adaptor, or the replacement module.